January 2010

January 25, 2010

"Jump on your magic carpets and follow me to Collage Diva's treehouse. She has a gift for one special guest."

"It's just past this little village..."

"...and just past the forest of wishes."

"We are getting closer!"

Welcome to Collage Diva's Tree House! Creativity is explored here with a focus on collage making and art journaling. Many of the projects here are featured on Collage Diva's True North Arts blog.

Thank you for visiting my little place in bloglandia. I love art journaling and want to share some journal love with you! One special guest will be randomly selected to receive a set of 12 painted papers from my collection. I have high quality color laser copies that are great for journals and other projects.

You may recognize some of these papers. The purple ones were used in the collages for this post. The red bottom row are from my prayer papers that I made for the True North Arts prayer journal project.

Pictured above is the detail of one of my recent projects that uses painted papers. Many of these papers are color copies of my papers. They are so versatile. For FREE project ideas visit my blog, www.TrueNorthArts.com

If your magic carpet could take you any place in the world, where would you like to go? Leave a comment on this blog post that answers this question to enter to win the set of papers. One entry per person. Be sure to reply by February 14, 2010 at midnight, EST. On Monday, February 15th, I'll announce the winner. Be sure your comment includes your e-mail address so I know how to reach you.

January 22, 2010

What makes you happy? Each Friday, Jamie Ridler invites us to post our happy moments of the week and share it over HERE. She is hosting a book circle and the topic is on happiness. My week started with my monthly photo play date with my dear friend Claudia. My photos today show my favorite shots of the tulips from that day.

Tulips are among my favorite flowers. What could be better than combining two things that I love - photography and flowers? When I look through the camera's lens, the world stops. My mind quiets and I am so fully present. I notice the details and splendor found around me.

Witnessing beauty, capturing it, and creating it makes me happy.

What was on your happy list this week?

SMILE BIG PROJECT UPDATE - I want to extend the warmest HUGS out to all of those supportive ladies who sent me well wishes and signed up for my workshops. I'll be taking the next steps in this next week. Yahoo! Watch out world, Collage Diva is smiling again.

January 17, 2010

Claudia is one of those friends who I can buy a pomegranate, artichoke, star fruit, and some flowers for a birthday present. She doesn't think I'm crazy. You see Claudia is my photography buddy we set a goal to get together once a month for a photo date. Today we decided to get to together at her house to create still life vignettes.

I've been thinking about photographing pomegranates for weeks now. The result of today's shoot exceeded my expectations.

We pulled out our lighting equipment. I had fun "shopping" at her house that is filled with lots of goodies - velvet, wooden bowls, and lots of photogenic antiques.

We spent about five hours today. Longfellow, tulips, and primrose are among the subjects you'll find in the photos I will be posting in the upcoming weeks. I can't wait to share with you the many gorgeous macro moments. Stay tuned!

January 15, 2010

Last February I took a big step toward improving my health. I had avoided the dentist for so many years. As each year passed by without another visit to the dentist, it became harder and harder to get back. I was embarrassed and afraid. Pictured above is the full moon dreamboard that I designed that shows the confident smiles that I so desired to have. A couple of weeks after making this dreamboard I went to my first dentist appointment. Since then I've been to the periodontist and faithful about working with them to "get out of the woods."

To help fund my "Smile Big Project" I created my first online workshops last summer. Dental insurance only pays so much and I needed to deepen my pockets. So I was brave once again as I put my talents out there with my new workshops. I was floored when my first workshop filled up with 42 participants from several countries. I can't tell you how grateful I am that so many people took an interest in what I had to offer.

Yesterday I was back at the dentist's office for an exam and the next step in my Smile Big Project will make such an impact that I will actually smile again showing my teeth. That's right no more cheshire grins. I think I'll have to practice smiling again! Yooo-hoo!!!!

You'll notice from my self-portraits taken in the last year that you never see my teeth:

My wish is that either my January or my February self portrait will show my smile, a BIG smile. I have 1/2 the cash I need for taking the next step.

I'm stepping out on that limb once again. I'm holding my "I'm Brave" rock as I share with you my BIG smile story. If you have considered taking one of my online workshops, NOW is a time that would be a GREAT TIME!

100% of the funds raised from workshop registrations will go to my BIG SMILE project. I need only 17 more people to sign up! The best part is the online workshops are so affordable at $30 each!

Here are the winter workshop offerings:

Storytelling+Collage: Unlock Your Own Story

We are all living myths. We are the hero of our stories.

Using the intuitive process of collage making, participants will visually explore their own inward and outward journeys. Each week a new prompt and ideas will be shared based on Joseph Campbell's work on myths and the Hero's Journey. The series of collages will be the basis for writing our own stories. What stories do you tell about your own life's journey? This is an opportunity to explore your stories and even rewrite them.

Along the way I share Collage Diva's tips and tricks for making collages. From collage layouts using magazines to digital techniques. Do you like the collage artwork for this workshop? I show you the steps I took to make it in the first lesson!

Do you want to make more time for yourself this year? Start 2010 with the Personal Retreat online workshop that encourages you to make time for *YOU* with ideas, reflections, and creative projects to make personal retreats a regular part of your life. This six week series begins January 14, 2010. You don’t have to leave your home to experience the benefits of a retreat. The topics for this series include daily rituals, creating sacred space, cultivating awareness, embracing change, and inspirational reading. Weekly prompts and reflections will be illustrated with art journal pages and photography. You may wish to keep a journal to record your reflections.

You seek clarity, insight, perspective, or focus about an issue or problem in your life.

You wish to create a life that beautifully expresses who you are.

The topics include:

An Introduction to Personal Retreats

Cultivating Awareness

Creating Sacred Space

Savoring Inspirational Readings

Connecting with Nature

Nurturing Creativity

Living Your Retreat Every Day

The material draws upon a variety of traditions from Chinese Taoist philosophy to the practices of Benedictine monks. My interest in personal retreats began with a desire to go on retreat but found as a single mother that time and limited funds made this a challenge. I decided that I wouldn't let this stop me from having a retreat experience. In fact, I loved the idea of living in retreat and creating retreat moments in my every day life. I set out not to change my job or where I live but to change how I live. Each week I've prepared sample retreats, creative project ideas, affirmations, and my favorite resources. I look forward to sharing six weeks of personal discovery.

The workshop includes making your own retreat house. Pictured above is my retreat house journal. Each week's theme is found on a different panel of this retreat house. Other optional project ideas are shared throughout the 6-weeks.

The summer session was well attended with 42 participants from 5 countries! If you missed it, not to worry, you can jump in on January 14, 2010.

You are ready for this workshop if:

You are ready to make a change in your life.

You feel stuck and need help refocusing.

You need help clarifying your dreams.

You wonder if there is more to your life.

In this workshop you will:

Learn to tune in and listen to your heart and soul.

Clarify your goals and dreams by setting positive intentions.

Explore the common blocks and obstacles and strategies to work through them.

Create a vision journal and vision cards.

Join me on a six-week online workshop series to create the life of your dreams. We’ll use collage, a fun and easy medium to design clear pictures of your heart’s true desire. This workshop goes beyond cutting and gluing magazine images -- it is a series of projects that review many of the principles made popular by the Laws of Attraction (see “The Secret”), Shakti Gawain’s “Creative Visualization” and Dr. Wayne Dyer’s work including “The Power of Intention” and “Excuses Be Gone.”

What is Visioning?

Visioning is the practice of clarifying what you want in your life that leads to making it real. Vision boards (also called dream boards and inspiration boards) are made by cutting and gluing magazine images and words onto a piece of paper, poster board or journal. It is an effective way to help you to “see” your dream. Creating a clear idea or picture of your dream is essential to making it happen.

I'm working on a new series of 26 cards for this winter workshop that I'll share with participants. The cards are designed to help you through those times when feeling blocked.

I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive! I'm not out of the woods yet, but this next step will make a BIG difference. As I've been looking for creative ways to fund my procedures, I've discovered just how much I love designing and creating these workshops. I'm having a blast with each one. My photography is getting better too. But the most amazing part of it all has been the sharing and the connections I've made with participants.

January 10, 2010

All of the Christmas decorations have been packed away and replaced with some of my favorite things only with a new twist. Pictured above is my buddha statue only now he is sporting a mala I made of handmade rose beads. CLICK HERE to see my post on prayerful journaling and to download the recipe to make the rose beads. I'm hosting a bead swap and it has been so much fun receiving packages of beads from distant places.

A favorite candle, now spent has been repurposed to hold treasures from the sea.

January 03, 2010

Tonight I was in a "snacky" mood. I pulled out some nibbles from the fridge and poked my favorite Italian breadsticks in the a cup o' dip. As I photographed this view from the tree house, I noticed how the lamp from my light casts a great warm gradiant blended in with the new lights from my new photo lamps. What you don't see here which would be fun is how I clumsily dropped the photo lamp on my treat tray and broke most of the breadsticks. Yup, that's right, my clumsy tendencies account for why I'm assembly challenged. As it turns out this clumsy accident is a happy accident. I like the blend of warm and cool lights - the tall and blunted short breadsticks.

Tonight I snacked on mozzarella, prosciutto, Kalamata Olives, and Italian bread sticks while watching the movie, "Julie and Julia." I loved Meryl Streep as Julia Child. I could relate to the character Julia and her blogging adventures. Like Julia, I know my parents don't really get it. And, how could they? Think about it, they are traditionalists who are not really plugged in. Heck some of the people I work, younger than me by 10+ years, don't get it. They only skim the social networking scene. They are dipping their big toes in and don't really know how rewarding it is to take risks to be a bit more 'real' in this forum. The result is connections with people from around the globe.

When I think about Julia Child beginning a whole new life at age 40, I am at age 41 heartened by the opportunities that lie ahead for me. I am entering in to the best decade of my life. 2009 has set the stage for a 2010 -- what will lie ahead for me and you? Stay tuned!

It is a new month and I'm thinking about my blogging habits. In November and December I posted daily. I can't believe it! That is 60+ posts. Wow that sounds like a lot, doesn't it? I'm working on my online workshops that start January 14th and posting daily is a bit challenging right now. Since I admire so many people who I've discovered in bloglandia, I thought it would be fun to share a view from my world each week throughout 2010.

Today's post is view #1 from the tree house. Each Sunday, I'll share a slice from my life.

January 02, 2010

For several years now, I ring in the new year with my good friend Maureen. We share a wonderful meal and work on a vision board that sets the tone for the new year. Pictured above is my board for this year. I found myself gravitated toward white, light, and dreamy images. Vibrant oranges and blues with some deep purple help to carry the energy I am feeling as I look forward. I love the results so much that I've framed it and have it hanging where I journal and write each day. You can click on the image above to get a closer look.

Living my creative passion continues to be a priority in my life.

Living a mindful life is also important. Taking time to pause and center myself is part of my daily routine that I plan to continue this year.

Little details represent my interests: flowers for ikebana, scissors for collage, monk for my spiritual connection, dress for my style, and the fish for my curiosity. The key is a favorite image reminding me that I am the key to the change I want in my life. This key, studded with diamonds, suggests that I will unlock great things this year.

In the process of putting together my collage, I discovered my motto: "Bringing Beauty To Life. Inspiration. Education. Collaboration." This sums up simply my vision for Collage Diva and True North Arts in 2010.

About Kathryn Costa

COLLAGE DIVA + CREATIVE DABBLER

Thank you for swinging by! CollageDiva.com is my blog where I share my love for life and creativity. I'm passionate about mandalas, collage making and mixed media, art journaling, photography, and connecting with people all over the world through blogging and social media.

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